Donald Trump – FBI Raids Ex-POTUS Estate For White House Records
Donald Trump hogged the headlines once more as the FBI recently raided his Mar-a-Lago residence. The investigators seized documents believed by the National Archives to be mostly classified. Does the unprecedented move have something to do with the upcoming 2024 presidential elections?
Author:Hajra ShannonReviewer:Paula M. GrahamAug 10, 2022338 Shares24.1K Views
On early Monday morning, the FBI raided the Mar-a-Lago resort of Donald Trumpin Palm Beach County, Florida, in search of classified documents.
Authorized by a federal search warrant, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigationarrived in the 62,500-square-foot estate aboard SUVs.
Approximately 30 FBI agents were present.
They searched for documents, most of which were reportedly of sensitive nature.
The 45th POTUS allegedly brought them with him after his term ended.
Per White House protocol, an outgoing president should have all paper records, classified or otherwise, delivered to the National Archives and Records Administration.
Donald Trump left the White House in January 2021.
According to The Guardian, a tweet by the news media Florida Politics (@Fla_Pol) initially broke the news at 6:36 p.m.
The “scoop” was by Peter Schorsch (@PeterSchorschFL), its publisher.
Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins), CNN’s chief White House correspondent, tweeted that the 76-year-old former president wasn’t in Florida at that time.
Donald Trump was in his Trump Tower in New York City when the raid happened.
Trump Claims FBI Agents 'Raided' Mar-A-Lago
The Mar-A-Lago FBI Raid
As an ex-president, Donald Trump is being accused of mishandling presidential documents.
The Justice Department placed him under investigation for purportedly violating the Presidential Records Act (PRA) of 1978.
U.S. archivist David S. Ferriero said, as quoted by the National Public Radio (NPR):
“„The Presidential Records Act mandates that all Presidential records must be properly preserved by each Administration so that a complete set of Presidential records is transferred to the National Archives at the end of the Administration.
According to a former Trump adviser – CNN didn’t name the person in its report – no criminal case could be filed against the former Commander-in-Chief.
Still, if that adviser was in Trump’s shoes, the adviser said:
“„If I was Trump, I would be taking it seriously.
USA Today reported that prior to the raid, the FBI informed the Secret Service assigned to Donald Trump about it.
The U.S. Secret Service upholds a mandate “to protect a former president and his/her spouse during their lifetime, unless they decline protection.”
That’s according to its website. The U.S. Congress passed a law (Public Law 89-186) in 1965 for that particular purpose.
Christina Bobb, one of Trump’s lawyers, witnessed the raid.
A Palm Beach resident, she told the Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) that she went to Mar-A-Lago after receiving a call to represent Trump.
Bobb, who served as executive secretary for the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration, added that other attorneys were present.
She described to the host, Brian Glenn, how the FBI conducted the raid in Mar-A-Lago:
“„They didn’t toss it like you see . . . in a drug movie or something. They were respectful . . . put everything back where they found them, except for what they took. They went through everything.
The FBI indeed searched high and low.
As Donald Trump said in a statement released on Monday night and quoted by several media outlets:
“„They even broke into my safe.
According to NBC News, the FBI took “about a dozen boxes” of documents from Mar-a-Lago.
The Justice Department and the FBI have yet to release a statement regarding the raid.
In January 2022, authorities went to Mar-a-Lago and took 15 boxes of White House documents, reported NPR.
These documents include former President Barack Obama’s letter to Trump and Trump’s letter to North Korean top leader Kim Jong Un.
There, he described Monday’s raid as:
- “unannounced”
- “not necessary or appropriate”
- a “prosecutorial misconduct”
Trump also saw the raid as an indication of or form of:
- “lawlessness”
- “political persecution”
- “Witch Hunt”
For Donald Trump, these things only take place in “broken, Third-World Countries.”
Adding:
“„Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.
But With Hillary It’s Different
In the statement he released through his website, Donald Trump mentioned the email controversy involving Hillary Clinton.
Trump wrote:
“„Hillary Clinton was allowed to delete and acid wash 33,000 E-mails AFTER they were subpoenaed by Congress.
As a secretary of state(2009–2013) during the Obama administration, Clinton used an email server set up at her New York residence for personal and work-related messages.
Why? Clinton explained, as quoted by BBC:
“„I thought using one device would be simpler, and obviously, it hasn't worked out that way.
Donald trump accused the authorities of not doing their jobs “to hold her accountable.”
He further took a jab at his former top opponent in the 2016 U.S. presidential election by saying:
“„She even took antique furniture, and other items from the White House.
Reactions From Both Sides Of The Fence
The latest FBI raid on the Florida estate of Donald Trump has been described by numerous people as “unprecedented.”
From political leaders to media personalities, regardless of political parties and affiliations, they agreed it’s something extraordinary.
In an edition of MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” uploaded on YouTube on August 9, the host said:
“„At the broadest level, this development is the clearest, starkest, most physical indication that the United States is still governed by the rule of law.
Attorney Melber, the news channel’s chief legal correspondent, highlighted the fact that Donald Trump “was not above” the law.
As several Democrats and other personalities lauded what they perceived to be the long arm of the law at work, others expressed their disdain.
Republicans and Trump supporters believe the Biden administration is weaponizing the law.
It should be noted that Donald Trump could run again, with incumbent President Joe Biden as a future oppent.
A Probable Comeback
In his analysis of the FBI raid, published by BBC, Washington correspondent Gary O’Donoghue, wrote:
“„Strap yourself in: the Trump show is back on the road.
The 2024 presidential election is nearing.
And Donald Trump appears to be poised for another reelection.
If he gets charged for mishandling presidential documents, one of the consequences is his disqualification to hold any office in the U.S.
But Donald Trump will endure – and might even run again – based on how he concluded his statement regarding the FBI raid:
“„I will continue to fight for the Great American People!
Hajra Shannon
Author
Paula M. Graham
Reviewer
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